Practicing device for golfers



June 24, 1941. J. w. HARTE 2,246,681

PRACTICING DEVICE FOR GOLFERS Filed July 6, 1940 l zo @wy/M patented June 24, 1941- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,246,681 PitACTICING DEVICE FOR GOLFRS John W. Harte, New Haven, Conn. Application July 6, 1940, 'Serial No. 344,242

Claims.

ball until after the ball has been struck by the club. My device makes a golfer do this, or if he fails to keep his head down using my device, he immediately knows that he has made this fault in the stroke and can thus immediately correct the fault in making the next practice stroke, and one of the objects of this invention is to impel a player to keep the head down until after the ball has been struck.

Another requirement of a good golfer is to swing the club inside the line of the shot in making the back-swing and also the down-swing until just before the ball is struck by the club.

Another' object is to provi-de means in vassisting to guide the player in giving the proper swing to the club to accomplish the best results.

With the above and other objects in View, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawing, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a practicing device for golfers constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view partly broken away to show the insignia carrier;

Fig. 3 is an edge View of the same;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the insignia carrier detached; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a tee detached.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a mat Ill preferably having a non-slip surface which may be lined as shown, or not, and this is mounted upon and connected with a base II of any suitable material. Beneath the mat and adapted to be turned with relation thereto is an insignia carrier I2 carrying a series of insignia I3, which may be numbers, letters, figures or colors, arranged in a circle near the outer edge of the carrier. The carrier is also formed with linger openings I4 adapted to register with a segmental slot I5, so that the carrier may be turned in either direction vand one of the insignia exposed through a hole I6 in the mat. The hole I6 may be covered by a ball I'I which for indoor use will be anchored by a cord I8, or the ball may be mounted on a tee I9 anchoded by a cord 20 and adapted to be set over the hole I6 and so formed that when the ball is struck the tee will be moved to expose the insignia.

At one side of the mat a post 2| is mounted, being connected to the base as herein shown by a bolt 22 having a wing-nut 23 which permits the post to be turned from one position to another. This post is so located to guide the player to keep the club head inside the line of flight in making the back swing as well as the down swing.

Preparatory to use of the device, the player places the ball over the hole I6, or on the tee I9 which is placed over the hole I6, so as to pre- Vent the player seeing the insignia thereunder. The insignia carrier I2 is then turned in one direction or the other so as to present insignia beneath the hole I6, the length of the slot being such as to arrest the movement of the carrier in one direction or the other so as to insure that an insignia will be situated beneath the hole I6. But the insignia, so situated, will be unknown to the player.

Standing before the device, the player makes the backward stroke and if the post 2| is struck the player will know that it is incorrect and will not nish the stroke but start again. The player should watch the ball over the hole and keep his eye on the ball, so that when the ball uncovers the hole I6 the insignia may be seen. If, however, the head comes up too quicklya common fault with golfersthe player will not know the number which only becomes visible after the ball has been struck away from covering the hole. If it is necessary to turn the head back after the stroke in order to see the insignia, the player at once knows that a good play did not result.

The device gives a golfer sure and immediate knowledge as to the correctness of each and every stroke made, and thus by practicing with the device any golfer will develop correct habits of swinging the club and hitting the ball and will in that way show rapid improvement in skill at the game.

The device may be used indoors or out, and if outdoors the ball need not be anchored, unless desired, for merely practicing.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A practicing device for golfers comprising a mat and a movable insignia carrier so arranged as to be partially covered by a golf ball and to expose an unknown insignia to the player after the ball has been struck.

2A A practicing device for golfers comprising a mat formed with a hole adapted to be covered by a golf ball, and a movable insignia carrier beneath said mat adapted to be manually moved whereby any one of the insignia may be visible through said hole after the ball has been struck.

3. A practicing device for golfers comprising a mat formed with a hole ladapted to be covered by a golf ball, and a manually movable disk pivotally connected with said mat and having a plurality of insignia, any one of which may be visible through said hole after the ball has been struck.

4. A practicing device for golfers comprising a mat formed with a hole, a manually movable insignia carrier beneath said mat adapted to be moved whereby any one of the insignia may be visible through said hole, and a ball attached to said mat and adapted to be seated over said hole.

5. A practicing device for golfers comprising a mat formed with a hole, a manually movable disk pivotally connected with said mat and having a plurality of insignia, any one of which may be visible through said hole, means whereby said disk may be rotated after the ball is teed, and a tee attached to said mat capable of being set over said hole and upon which a ball may rest.

JOHN W. HARTE. 

